Kolkata
The Calcutta High Court’s division bench, consisting of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Gaurang Kanth, has granted permission to Kunal Ghosh, the Trinamool Congress state general secretary and party spokesperson in West Bengal, to accompany Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her upcoming overseas tour. The tour aims to attract investments for the state. This decision comes in defiance of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s argument that Ghosh, who is an accused in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund case and is currently out on bail, should not be allowed to travel abroad. The division bench justified its decision by pointing out that Ghosh had previously made overseas trips while on bail, without any breaches of rules. The court emphasized that foreign travel is a fundamental right and cannot be restricted merely on the basis of allegations. Additionally, the court noted that the CBI failed to demonstrate how its investigation would be impeded if Ghosh were allowed to travel abroad. Kunal Ghosh was granted conditional bail in 2016, initially with restrictions on traveling outside the state. Although these restrictions were later lifted, the prohibition on overseas trips without the central agencies’ permission remained in place. The Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, will lead a delegation to Dubai and Spain from September 12 to September 23, with Kunal Ghosh being a part of the delegation. The primary objective of the overseas trip is to engage with non-resident Indian (NRI) businessmen residing mainly in Dubai and Madrid to attract investment opportunities for West Bengal. Please note that this information is based on the latest court decision and subject to potential updates or developments.
